ZESCO: $561m Coal Plant Takes Off to Build Energy-resilient Nation

Zambian EZRA Group has begun construction of a 400MW coal power plant worth $561 million in Sinazeze, Sinazongwe District. Meron Tekie Ezra EZRA Group CEO said the project will be completed in December 2029 explaining that it will be implemented in two phases with the first 200MW to be commissioned by the end of 2027.

Ezra added that the plant will generate baseload power which will not be affected by external factors such as drought. He said the plant would help build the economy and bring stability to the national grid. “As far as employment, it will employ between 1,200 and 1,500 jobs and we have already employed over 300 workers.”

Fitzpatrick Kapepe ZESCO Chief Operating Officer added that ZESCO will offtake the entire 400MW for 25 years under a power purchase agreement. He said he wishes to carry the vision of the President and build a resilient energy nation. In order to meet the target of “10 million metric tonnes of maize and three million metric tonnes of soya beans, it means that we still need power to actually extract value from those growth centres.”